Labelling Volt Typhoon, a hacker group, as a China-sponsored actor, has been found to be an underhanded campaign by US politicians, intelligence community and companies, which intended to "kill two birds with one stone" - hyping the "China threat theory" and cheating funding from the US Congress and taxpayers, according to a latest report from China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center obtained by the Global Times.

On May 24, 2023, the cybersecurity authorities from The Five Eyes countries - the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, issued a joint cybersecurity advisory, claiming that they had discovered cluster of activity of interest associated with a "China state-sponsored cyber actor," known as Volt Typhoon, and these activities "affected networks across US critical infrastructure sectors."

The advisory cited a report, which was released by Microsoft on the same day as its main reference with the name Volt Typhoon also cited in the Microsoft report. In the report, Microsoft claimed that the Volt Typhoon is a state-sponsored actor based in China that typically focuses on espionage and information gathering.

Later, major Western news outlets such as Reuters, Wall Street Journal and New York Times widely reported about the advisory and the Microsoft report. In a report on May 24, The New York Times wrote that US intelligence agencies identified cyberattacks against telecom operator in Guam and other US territory, and connected it with the advisory.

Using this as an excuse, the US has taken a series of actions targeting so-called "cyberattack" from China. For example, In February, 2024, the White House issued an executive order that is designed to improve maritime port security by creating new requirements for stronger cyber defenses in the sector while expanding the authorities of the US Coast Guard to respond to cybersecurity incidents. And US media noted that such an action followed the warning about the "China-linked hacking group Volt Typhoon."

In response, China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, National Engineering Laboratory for Computer Virus Prevention Technology and 360 Digital Security Group conducted a joint investigation and further analysis found that Volt Typhoon has more correlation with ransomware group or other cybercriminals.

Multiple cybersecurity authorities in the US have been pushing "China-sponsored" Volt Typhoon false narrative just for seeking more budgets from the US Congress. Meanwhile, Microsoft and other US cybersecurity companies also want more big contracts from US cybersecurity authorities, according to a report about the investigation.

A related investigation began since May 2023 when the US started to "disclosed" information about Volt Typhoon, an expert familiar with the investigation told the Global Times.

Although the advisory of the Five Eyes and the report of Microsoft described the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and indicators of compromise (IoCs) of Volt Typhoon, they labeled it a "China State-Sponsored Cyber Actor" without offering any attribution details.

The investigation group made statistics of the sample information given by Microsoft report and the advisory released by the Five Eyes and obtained 29 samples after removing duplicates. They then used VirusTotal - a multi-engine virus scanner platform of Google to search the samples one by one and only found 13 samples.

Each of the 13 samples is associated with multiple IP addresses and each IP address links to multiple samples.

Experts analyzed five IP addresses and discovered that they are related to other cyberattack events and there are multiple IP addresses associated with the same cyberattack event or cybersecurity risk. The five IP addresses also related to one cyberattack event, which ThreatMon - a US cybersecurity vendor mentioned on April 11, 2023 in a report titled "The Rise of Dark Power: A Close Look at the Group and their Ransomware."

According to ThreatMon, Dark Power was first observed to have started its attacks in January 2023, which means the group was active before 2023. And at least 10 institutions worldwide were attacked and blackmailed by Dark Power in March 2023 alone, and "there was no country and sectoral connection." The victims were from Algeria, Egypt, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Israel, Peru, France and the US.

Experts from the investigation group also searched the malware samples and IP address in the report published by Lumen Technologies but could not find any link to the IoCs of the Microsoft's technical analysis report and the cybersecurity advisory of the Five Eyes alliance.

Lumen Technologies also released an analysis report linking the KV-botnet - a small office and home office (SOHO) router botnet that forms a covert data transfer network for advanced threat actors, to Volt Typhoon, on December 13, 2023.

Following further analysis, it was found that the actor of Volt Typhoon is related to the cybercriminal group named Dark Power, but Microsoft and the Five Eyes were very hasty to label it as "China-sponsored actor," according to the report.

Volt Typhoon hacker group is a ransomware cybercriminal organization without state or regional support background, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press conference on Monday commenting on the investigation report, saying that various signs indicate that US intelligence community and cybersecurity companies are colluding to fabricate so-called evidence and spread false information that the Chinese government supports cyberattacks against the US, in order to seek congressional budget appropriations and government contracts.

The spokesperson stated that it is known to all that the US is the biggest source of cyberattacks and the biggest threat to cybersecurity. For some time, some people in the US have been using "cyberattacks tracing" as a tool to suppress China, politicizing cybersecurity issues, and seriously infringing on China's legitimate rights and interests. China urges the US to immediately cease cyberattacks against China and stop slandering and smearing China, Lin noted.

For the money

Why is the US which boasts most powerful internet technology, so eager to pin the blame of Volt Typhoon on China? The report on the investigation offered some clues.

The report revealed that the two US companies that mentioned Volt Typhoon are partners of the US government. Just two months before Microsoft released its report, it received the first list of task orders worth approximately $3.8 million for the $9 billion Joint Warfighting Cloud (JWCC) project from the US Department of Defense on March 24, 2023.

And one month before Lumen Technologies released an analysis report linking the KV-Botnet to the Volt Typhoon, Lumen Technologies had just won a five-year contract order worth $110 million from the US Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) on November 7, 2023, according to the report.

Moreover, under the Budget and Accounting Act issued by 1921, the US president must submit a budget report, including the federal government's budget request for the next fiscal year, to the Congress on first Monday in February. Coincidently, a hearing held by the House Select Committee on cyberattack of China to the American Homeland and National Security was held on January 31, 2024.

During the hearing, officials from US cyber agencies claimed that Volt Typhoon posed a threat to the US national security and asked the Congress to increase more funds in the field of cybersecurity.

Eventually, in the 2025 fiscal year budget request announced by the Biden administration on March 11, the federal government's cybersecurity budget in the civil administrative departments and agencies reached a record $13 billion, according to public information.

Among listed items, the budget for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, reached $3 billion, an increase of $103 million from the previous year. The budgets of the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation increased by $25 million specifically for the "cyber and counterintelligence investigative capabilities."

The 2024 US Presidential election is approaching. Neither the Republican nor Democratic parties want to lose votes on the issue of China during the campaign, and by openly denouncing China, members of Congress can also attract public attention and gain influence, analysts said.

Some US departments and companies are seeking to make a fortune from the related false narrative of Volt Typhoon while attempting to defame China, sow discords between China and other countries to contain China's development, said the report.

The US government and politicians always keep "small yard and high fence" policies, and even politicizing cyberattacks origin-tracing, manipulating Microsoft and other companies to launch a smearing campaign against China to line their own pockets, according to the report.

These Volt Typhoon narratives are not beneficial to the normal order of the international public cyberspace but only undermine China-US relations, and finally eat their own bitter fruit, according to the report.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President of the Republic of Suriname Chandrikapersad Santokhi in Beijing on Friday.

Many tourist attractions across China have followed suit to provide interactive matchmaking programs, inspired by the success of a program launched at a scenic spot in Kaifeng city, Central China's Henan Province, which gained widespread attention both offline and on social media last month.

The matchmaking performance, dubbed "Wang Po Matchmaking," held daily at the scenic of Kaifeng Wansui Mountain Martial Arts City, unexpectedly went viral on Chinese social media platforms in March, significantly boosting local tourism in the city.

The performance draws inspiration from the classic Chinese novel Water Margin, which is set against the backdrop of the end of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). "Wang Po," or "Granny Wang," is a classic character in the novel who has her own tea house and runs a matchmaking business.

This unique cultural performance allows tourists from all over the country to immerse themselves in the local folk culture specific to the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

To date, the performance has been viewed more than 6.54 billion times on Douyin short video platform, and related topics have been viewed more than 360 million times on Sina Weibo. Since March 15, the official account of "Kaifeng Wang Po" on Douyin has gained 6.22 million followers in just 25 days, and as of Tuesday noon, the followers hit 6.45 million, with its popularity comparable to those top internet celebrities, Shangyou News reported.

Based on videos uploaded by audiences, the venue is normally packed long before the start of the performance. The program, which was originally 10 minutes long, has also been lengthened to two hours.

During the recent Qingming Festival holidays, hotel bookings in Kaifeng increased nearly tenfold compared to last year, China Central Television (CCTV) reported. In recent days, apart from tourists from cities in Henan such as Zhengzhou, Anyang, and Jiaozuo, there were also visitors from Beijing, Xi'an, Xuzhou and other places coming specifically to watch this performance.

The high intensity of the job compelled the actress playing Wang Po to request a one-month leave starting from April 3. During this period, other actresses will continue the performance.

The scenic spot operator reminded tourists to treat the show as entertainment rather than a serious matchmaking event.

Similar offline matchmaking events have emerged in cities including Wuhan in Central China's Hubei Province, Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Zhengzhou in Central China's Henan Province, attracting a large number of single young men and women to participate.

A tourist attraction in Wuhan started a similar performance on March 30 and has since registered about 500 couples for matchmaking in their database, with 30 to 40 couples registered every day on-site, and approximately 4 to 6 couples successfully matched per day.

However, a cultural park in Zhengzhou which previously launched a similar matchmaking program has decided to give up the project and turned back to original programs that also focus on the "singles economy."

The singles economy and matchmaking has become an industry in China. Some people are willing to pay up to 100,000 yuan ($13,823) for services offered by matchmaking websites, according to media report.

Meanwhile, there is a growing demand for "matchmaking corners" in cities. In addition to the renowned spontaneous matchmaking corners at Zhongshan Park in Beijing and the People's Park in Shanghai, residents from various cities are urging local governments to establish more government-organized matchmaking corners.

Reality dating TV shows, such as You Are the One, have become increasingly popular in China in recent years.

The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) organized a joint naval and air combat patrol in the South China Sea on Sunday, the PLA announced, on the same day of joint drills attended by the US, the Philippines, Japan and Australia, which analysts said was a highly defiant and aggressive muscle-flexing move against China amid the rising tensions between Beijing and Manila.

Chinese experts said on Sunday that China's combat patrol represents a tit-for-tat response to the US-Philippines-Japan-Australia's joint drills, illustrating PLA's firm resolve and strong capability in safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. It shows that China, while showing great restraint on the South China Sea issue, is also well-prepared to deal with any contingency.

They also warned that external interference represented by the US in the South China Sea has become "the biggest threat to regional security and stability," and Philippines' calculation of "inviting wolf into the house" is not welcomed by regional countries and will eventually backfire.

Tit-for-tat response

In a brief statement released on Sunday morning on social media, the PLA Southern Theater Command stressed that "all military activities disrupting the South China Sea stability and creating hotspots are under control," without giving more details about the operation.

Before the PLA combat patrol, the Chinese side made several warnings against Philippines' provocations and its attempts to introduce external forces as well as Manila's tricks of "playing victim."

China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday warned the Philippines that any tactic infringing on China's rights is doomed to be futile, and the CCG will continue to regularly enforce the law to safeguard rights and interests in China's jurisdictional waters, in response to Philippine vessels' illegal activities in the waters adjacent to China's Houteng Jiao (also known as Houteng Reef) in the South China Sea.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said on March 28 that the Philippines' harassment and provocations are the direct cause of the recent escalation of the South China Sea issue, noting China will not allow the Philippines to act willfully.

Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday that different from the past, the "combat patrol" highlights the preparation of actual combat.

It's a kind of all-state, all-factor patrol, and the PLA can immediately carry out combat tasks in case of an emergency, said Ding.

The combat patrol is PLA's "tit-for-tat response" to counter and deter the muscle-flexing actions, namely the US-Japan-Australia-Philippines joint military exercises, Ding noted. "It also reflects PLA's firm resolve and strong capability to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea."

It cannot be ruled out that the PLA's naval and air combat patrol in the South China Sea would include some particularly targeted and specific measures, said Ding.

China has shown its attitude by the combat patrol and will always respond to Philippines' provocative actions and attempts to introduce external interference in the South China Sea, Yang Xiao, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Sunday.

On the South China Sea issue, China has always shown great restraint and does not want conflicts so that the region can remain stable, but China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are inviolable, and China will make all preparations to deal with emergencies, Yang added.

Escalating provocations

Citing a Japanese defense official, Kyodo News reported that the first ever "maritime cooperative activity" jointly attended by defense forces of the US, Japan, Australia and the Philippines on Sunday includes "anti-submarine warfare drills" and "maritime patrols."

According to the joint statement of the four countries' defense ministers released on Saturday, the drill, held in the Philippines' "exclusive economic zone," demonstrates the "collective commitment" to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of "a free and open Indo-Pacific."

According to the ministers' statement, the joint drills are aimed at strengthening the "interoperability" of their forces' "doctrines, tactics, techniques and procedures."

Arsenio Andolong, a spokesperson of Philippines' national defense department, said on Saturday that 5 naval ships from the four countries will participate in the joint drills, including the Philippines' offshore patrol vessels, BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS-15) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16); the US Navy's littoral combat ship, USS Mobile (LCS-26); Australia's HMAS Warramunga (FFH-152); and Japan's destroyer JS Akebono (DD-108), the Philippine News Agency reported.

"Judging from the content made public, the joint exercise is more symbolic, but less specific," Yang said.

Echoing Yang, Ding believes the most important function of the joint exercise is to maintain the heat of the South China Sea issue and further manipulate international public opinion.

"The participating vessels of the four countries are not their core combat units, among which the Philippine ships are retired second-hand goods and cannot be integrated into the formation operations," Yang noted.

Although there are "anti-submarine warfare drills," the Philippines, as the only party concerned in the South China Sea, does not have anti-submarine capability and thus cannot participate in the program, Yang added.

This is the reason why the four countries began to hype up public opinion before the exercise began, which is nothing but to show the so-called concern to the South China Sea issue, and embolden Manila, the expert remarked.

The joint drills also came before the three-way summit between US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr in the White House on April 11. VOA called it "part of Biden's strategy to stitch together existing bilateral alliances into broader mini-laterals to amplify US influence in Asia" and "counter Beijing."

Before the drills, Jose Manuel Romualdez, Philippine ambassador to the US, said that Japan and Philippines were close to signing a reciprocal access agreement (RAA) that would also let their militaries train and conduct exercises in each other's countries, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

The Philippines has deepened its coordination with external forces over the past two years, and has conducted military exercises with the US, Japan, and the Philippines and Australia. The latest four-way drills are just a presentation to bring the collusion between the four countries from behind the scenes to the forefront, Ding said.

Chinese experts believe that the future exercises between the Philippines, the US or allies like Japan, and Australia in the South China Sea would be carried out regularly. Each exercise differs only in the area, size and type of troops involved.

With the "support" of external forces, the Philippines is expected to continue or even escalate provocations against China in the South China Sea, with a surging ultra-nationalist sentiments, risk-taking and speculative psychology, Ding said.

However, Manila's calculation will eventually backfire, as its approach of "inviting wolf into the house" will damage the peace and stability of the entire region, and will not be welcomed by regional countries, Ding noted.

Ding added that the external interference represented by the US in the South China Sea issue, as well as the long-standing military presence and frequent military exercises in the region, is the biggest threat to regional security and stability.

On April 2, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with US President Joe Biden on the phone, with Xi stating China's position on the South China Sea. During the call, the Chinese side stressed that China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, noting the US is not a party to the South China Sea issue and should not intervene in matters between China and the Philippines. China has a strong will and resolve to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, according to Wang Wenbin, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on April 3.

A wind and hail disaster has claimed seven lives in Jiangxi Province, leading to 1,593 people being evacuated to emergency shelter, and 1,367 people being relocated. The direct economic loss is estimated at 400 million yuan ($55.3 million), with the impact of disaster still being further assessed .

The extreme weather, which first began on Sunday has affected 11 prefecture-level cities such as Nanchang and Jiujiang, with a total of 313,000 people affected. It has caused damage to 22,700 hectares of crops, with 668.9 hectares completely destroyed, media reported, citing local authorities. 

It is reported that 14 households covering a total of 48 rooms have collapsed, and 115 households including 263 rooms were severely damaged. The direct economic loss is estimated at 400 million yuan, and the disaster situation is still being further assessed and verified.

The Jiangxi Provincial Meteorological Observatory forecast that from Thursday to Sunday that a rain belt will continue to impact the southern part of Jiangxi Province, with some areas still experiencing heavy rain. 

The government vowed to strengthen defenses against heavy rain and any secondary disasters it may cause; strengthen defense against strong weather such as strong winds, hail, and lightning; enhance safety management for outdoor activities and tourism transportation.

On Tuesday, the capital city of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, faced severe weather conditions and a red alert for strong winds and hail was issued. It is the first time since 2011 that two red alerts have been issued within an hour on the same day.

Neighboring provinces, including Hubei, have also issued strong wind and rainfall alerts.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President-elect of the Republic of Indonesia and Great Indonesia Movement Party General Chairman Prabowo Subianto, who is on a visit to China, in Beijing on Monday.

Xi congratulated Prabowo on winning the election and asked Prabowo to relay sincere greetings and best wishes to President Joko Widodo.

Recalling the rapidly developing and fruitful bilateral ties over the past decade under the guidance of the two heads of state, Xi said both sides have made Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway an exemplar of high-quality bilateral cooperation and entered a new stage of building a community with a shared future.

China views its relations with Indonesia from a strategic and long-term perspective, and is willing to deepen all-round strategic cooperation with Indonesia, Xi said.

He said China will work with Indonesia to build a China-Indonesia community with a shared future that has regional and global influence, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples and contribute to regional and world peace, stability and prosperity.

Prabowo conveyed President Joko Widodo's sincere greetings to Xi, and said he is delighted to make China the first country he visits after being elected.

Prabowo said he supports the development of a closer relationship with China and will continue the country's friendly policy toward China.

Chinese authorities on Thursday criticized the Philippines' tricks of "playing victim" in the South China Sea and reiterated that China will not allow it to act willfully and has sufficient strategic resolve.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday that the Philippines always arranges for reporters in their missions to manipulate videos recorded to make sensational news and project the Philippines as a victim.

Although the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FCAP) denied the accusations in a statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at Thursday's routine press briefing that the FCAP's statement confused right and wrong and China firmly deplores it.

"Who's been stirring up trouble and making provocations on the South China Sea issue? Who's been breaching the common understandings between our two countries and reneged on their own commitments? Who's been staging a show and hyping up tensions? Who's been pulling forces outside the region to interfere in the issue?" Lin asked, adding that China has explained the real situation on different occasions.

"Whenever the Philippines carries out an operation in the South China Sea, it brings journalists along, including photo journalists from third countries. Why would the Philippines do that?" Lin asked, adding that he believes anyone fair-minded and unbiased can see that.

Reporting facts and truth is the duty of reporters, and it is hoped that related organizations and reporters adhere to an objective stance and report the truth comprehensively and accurately, Lin said.

Also on Thursday, Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said at a routine press briefing that the Philippines' harassment and provocations are the direct cause of the recent escalation of the South China Sea issue. Counting on the support of external forces, the Philippine side violated international law and the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), frequently infringed upon China's sovereignty, made provocations and created trouble, and spread misinformation to mislead the international community.

"China will not allow the Philippines to act willfully, so we have responded with legitimate, resolute and restrained actions. The Philippine side should realize that provocations will only do itself more harm than good, and soliciting foreign support will lead nowhere," Wu said.

Both Lin and Wu pointed to US intervention as a destructive factor in the South China Sea issue.

Wu noted there is no bigger factor than the US interference in causing turbulence in the region. The US, in disregard of the facts, provoked confrontation, backed up the Philippines, threatened and exerted pressure on China citing the so-called bilateral treaty, and sent military vessels to the South China Sea to stir up troubles. These actions seriously undermine regional peace and stability.

China's attitude toward this is clear: the US is in no position to interfere and the military cooperation between the US and the Philippines must not harm China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday that the smear campaign against China was carefully plotted and realized through US-Philippine collusion.

The US has always been skillful in such slandering actions, and transplanted this method to the Philippines. The reporters on board were carefully selected and their reporting was manipulated to represent the Philippine perspective only, analysts said.

From leaders and politicians to media and think tanks, the Philippines and the US have conspired in the big farce to demonize China and mobilized other allies to amplify their voice in an attempt to mislead international community, Chen said, calling on the Chinese side to fight back with on-site photos, videos and comprehensive facts.

China has urged the US to stop fanning the flames of conflict and take concrete actions to adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, turning their stated opposition to "Taiwan independence" into reality, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday in response to the claims of US military commander hyping the idea of "mainland to invade Taiwan by 2027."

Admiral John Aquilino, head of the Indo-Pacific Command, said recently that he believes the Chinese mainland's military "will be prepared to invade Taiwan by 2027," according to media reports. This comes as the Biden administration recently approved $300 million in military financing for the island.

Some individuals in the US have clear ulterior motives, continuously fabricating so-called "timelines" and hyping the mainland's "military threat," creating an atmosphere of war across the Taiwan Straits, Chen Binhua, the spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, told the press conference on Wednesday.

This is merely an excuse for interfering in Taiwan question and a means for the US military-industrial complex to profit, he said.

If the US government truly wishes to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, it should stop fanning the flames and take concrete actions to adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, turning their stated opposition to "Taiwan independence" into reality, the spokesperson stressed.

DPP authorities, for the sake of their own party's interests, have willingly become pawns in external forces' strategy to "use Taiwan to contain the mainland," continuously pushing for seeking independence and provoking conflict, Chen said.

They even go so far as to sacrifice the lives and well-being of the people on the island, eagerly aligning with the US to become "porcupines," build "fortresses," and turn Taiwan into a "powder keg" and "explosive mine."

Such actions are definitely not for the benefit of the Taiwan compatriots and will only increasingly push the island toward a dangerous situation fraught with the risk of war, the spokesperson said.
Resolving the Taiwan question and achieving the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all Chinese people and a sacred mission, a just cause. When and how to resolve the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and tolerates no foreign interference, Chen said.

The spokesperson also voiced the strong opposition to the US' latest financial support for the island. The US insisting on passing and signing bills containing negative content regarding the island, severely interfered in China's internal affairs and gravely violating the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, Chen said.

We express strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this, urging the US to truly act on its statement of not supporting "Taiwan independence" by taking concrete actions, stop arming Taiwan in any form, and cease sending the wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, the spokesperson noted.

"The DPP authorities' attempts to seek one-party interests by relying on the US for independence and seeking independence through military means are doomed to fail," he said.

After Hong Kong's weightlifting and powerlifting association made an apology after its chairwoman called Hong Kong a "small country" during an open event on Sunday, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, told the Global Times on Monday that after consulting with the association, the federation initially believes the incident was only a "slip of the tongue," emphasizing that it once again reminds all member sports associations to be clear and unequivocal in their discussions about national sovereignty.

Meanwhile, some local legislators and experts expressed concerns as such incidents have threatened national security more than once, urging the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government to seriously follow up and conduct a thorough investigation. 

The association faced heat over remarks by its chairman referring to Hong Kong as a "small country" during an opening speech on Sunday, local news outlet the Standard reported on Monday. 

Chairwoman Josephine Ip Wing-yuk described Hong Kong, in Cantonese, as a "relatively small country" when talking about the development of weightlifting and powerlifting sports. She also categorized the city as "small countries" like Australia, according to the media report. 

And the association later issued a statement to apologize. 

After consulting with the association, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, initially believes the incident was a slip of the tongue and has learned that the association has issued a statement and made a public apology regarding the incident.

The fact that Hong Kong is a part of China is beyond doubt, the federation said. According to the relevant provisions of the Basic Law, under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems," sports organizations in the HKSAR may participate in international sports events in the name of "Hong Kong, China," the federation said. 

It will once again remind all member sports associations to be clear and unequivocal in their discussions about national sovereignty and the "One Country, Two Systems" principle when participating in related exchange activities.

Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong, a local legislator from the New People's Party, told the Global Times on Monday that he hopes the HKSAR government will investigate the incident, expressing his concern and attention toward incidents that have threatened national security more than once. 

As a sports federation representing Hong Kong, China, and hosting international events, repeated mistakes are unacceptable, Ho said. The HKSAR government needs to consider whether this federation is still capable of representing Hong Kong, China, in developing sports, especially when it lacks a sense of social responsibility, the legislator noted. 

Delivering a public statement with an intention to secession should never be tolerated. The President or spokesman takes the stance of the association and should make the public speech or statement cautiously, Chu Kar-kin, a veteran current affairs commentator and deputy secretary-general of the Hong Kong Association for Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, told the Global Times on Monday. 

"Back to the case, the conveyed message is in simple language, without ambiguity or confusion, the concept is fundamental even to a primary student, it is not persuasive that a senior member of the association who is a medical practitioner by training, would make such a mistake," Chu said, noting that despite a clarification is made afterwards, the Hong Kong Police Force should investigate the case.

The expert also noted that in previous occasions, the National Anthem and the National Flag are not adopted and used properly for Hong Kong's participations in overseas events in relation to sports, culture and scientific contests. 

"Official guidelines, with sanction clauses, should be sent to associations, delegates and representatives. Training and briefing should be arranged, failing which should be subjected to disqualification or suspension," he said. 

Ho, the legislator, said that last year, the association played the wrong National Anthem at an event and, on several occasions, displayed the regional flag upside down, clearly neglecting its responsibilities. 

He believes there are two possibilities: Either it was intentional, or there is a significant misunderstanding by the federation's management level about social responsibility. "It's not their first mistake; it's happened three or four times. In such a high-level society, can this be tolerated?" Ho asked.

As of March 18 this year, Boeing's stock price had fallen by 28 percent, while the international rating agency Fitch Ratings stated that Boeing's default risk is gradually approaching junk bond status.

The American news website Quartz recently sorted out "A timeline of Boeing's brutal 2024 (so far)." On January 5, a Boeing 737 Max jetliner's built-in emergency door fell off, starting Boeing's "chaotic year." Subsequently, from February 6 to March 15, there were at least five safety incidents, including a stuck rudder pedal, wheel detachment, rapid air descent, a tire explosion, and missing external panels. On March 9, the death of former Boeing employee John Barnett, who had previously exposed serious deficiencies in Boeing's oxygen system, also sparked media speculation.

Industry insiders and experts reached by the Global Times revealed that behind the frequent incidents is the American hegemony that has fallen apart like scattered nuts and bolts on the floor. The serious safety problems of the head of the US aerospace industry and the world's leading manufacturer of civil and military aircraft have also made the US media, scholars and the public think of the long-standing systemic problems in the country's manufacturing industry, and reflect on the entire trajectory of "deindustrialization" and "re-industrialization" in the US.
Competitive pressure

Chinese student Li Yu, who lives in St. Louis, Missouri, where Boeing has a factory and is one of the local pillar industries, told the Global Times that she often encounters Boeing employees attending advanced training classes at the university.

Although she has heard of the recent incidents, Li admitted that in the US, it is difficult to avoid Boeing planes for most people when traveling.

"When taking a plane, although I feel uneasy, I can only grit my teeth and go through with it," Li said.

A former airline employee from Georgia told the Global Times that the majority of the planes used by airlines in the US are Boeing planes, many of which are quite old. Airlines have detailed operating instructions for Boeing planes, and he guessed that the airlines involved in the recent incidents might not have maintained the Boeing planes as directed.

"It's as if I'm watching a troubled child," said Captain Dennis Tajer, the lead spokesman of the Allied Pilots Association, when describing flying a Boeing 737 Max, according to BBC.

Tajer stated that if the plane is not safe, he would never board it, and he can no longer assume that the planes he pilots are of good quality.

However, according to the American online media outlet Axios, US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has made continued attempts to assure the US public that flying is as safe as ever. In Buttigieg's view, the "real concerns" are Boeing's quality control, but he would still sit by the window on a Boeing plane.

According to the American Forbes magazine website, fortunately, there have been no fatalities due to Boeing plane malfunctions in recent weeks. However, five years ago, within nearly five months, two crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jets occurred in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing 346 people.

In September 2021, PBS's Frontline channel and The New York Times co-produced a documentary titled "Boeing's Fatal Flaw," which, after an in-depth investigation, revealed the systemic causes behind the Boeing crash incidents - competitive pressure, inadequate pilot training, and regulatory absence.

According to the documentary, the 737 Max model was born under intense competitive pressure. In 2011, Airbus launched the new, more energy-efficient, and higher-efficiency model A320neo, and reached a preliminary agreement with a US airline, marking the airline's first order with Airbus in over a decade. Under this pressure, Boeing urgently initiated the design program for the 737 Max model.

Former employees involved in the work revealed that Boeing executives consistently pressured the staff to design the new model "faster, better, and cheaper," continually trying to reduce costs and minimize changes to the new plane to simplify pilot training differences, and to get the new model to market as quickly as possible.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which was supposed to regulate Boeing, authorized some of the safety inspection work to Boeing's own employees, leading to numerous cover-ups.

Increased risks

In this year's safety issues with Boeing, the far-reaching impact of the aforementioned systemic problems is still evident.

Analysts noted that Boeing's decline is the result of prioritizing profits over decades. Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, who influenced Boeing's culture with his "lean management" philosophy, focused on cutting manufacturing processes and workforce to boost stock prices.

Boeing's excessive reliance on outsourcing, as reported by The Wall Street Journal in January, has also led to safety issues and increased risks, with critical components being manufactured globally.
Moreover, interviews with industry executives revealed that production pressure and loss of experienced workers caused further problems. Boeing, needing to meet growing aircraft demand, reduced quality checks while prioritizing production speed, Reuters reported.

The international logistics media site Polar Star reported that the US aviation industry has long been troubled by supply chain issues. Many parts are in short supply, with delivery times for some metal parts and windshields being 2 to 5 times longer than normal.

The shortage of aircraft mechanics and other aviation industry professionals also strains the supply chain. Media reports say that some machine shops have sophisticated equipment but lack the labor to operate it, making licensed aircraft mechanics "as rare as unicorns," citing local experts.

Similar dilemmas

Shen Yi, director of the Research Institution for Global Cyberspace Governance at Fudan University, told the Global Times that the frequent Boeing incidents actually manifest the falling of US hegemony.

Boeing, based on neoliberal business and management concepts, once enjoyed the dividends of the Cold War. Now the company has shifted its focus from quality control to cost control, Shen said.

He pointed out that additionally, the US government, driven by the so-called "identity politics" movements that emphasize diversity and equality, has made technical skills, capabilities, and experience secondary factors in personnel selection and appointment.

Therefore, after a period of sedimentation and accumulation, the lack of focus on the expertise has led to the increase in safety-related accidents this year, he noted.

Recently, the US magazine Foreign Affairs published an article pointing out the problem of the "privatization and the hollowing out of the US defense industry." In addition to the defense field, many other manufacturing sectors are reportedly facing similar troubles.

According to the Financial Times, the decline of the US shipbuilding industry is causing anxiety in the US. Industry insiders widely attribute this decline to several factors. First, in the 1980s, the Reagan administration pursued a free-market economy and thus eliminated most subsidies for the shipbuilding industry. US defense officials and unions have stated that due to the shrinking domestic manufacturing base and outsourcing, a significant portion of the materials and components needed to produce new ships are no longer available domestically. And this is also happening in other manufacturing sectors.

In addition, due to the "just-in-time" production methods adopted in recent decades, US contractors are reluctant to maintain redundant capacity. Furthermore, industry consolidation and the rise of shipbuilding industries in Japan, South Korea, and China have led to reduced investment in technology, factory equipment, and worker training in the US, according to the article.

Analysts pointed out that the real issue with US labor is its low productivity as workers have long demanded high wages and work-life balance. Moreover, the infrastructure conditions in the US are not promising.

Reports showed that much of the existing infrastructure in the US was built in the 1960s. Therefore, much of it is virtually defunct.

While the US Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) in 2021, the real process of upgrading the infrastructure is slow as there is no consensus on funding and building.
Misplaced obsession

According to the 2024 manufacturing industry outlook issued by Deloitte, the manufacturing sector in the US will continue to face challenges this year. However, several US media outlets and think tanks are optimistic about the country's manufacturing industry.

In October 2023, the Cato Institute, a US think tank, published an analysis titled "The Reality of American Deindustrialization," arguing that "American manufacturing has not disappeared but has undergone a transformation instead."

While US politicians have been actively advocating for the reviving of manufacturing, an article published by The Hill pointed out that "unfortunately, this obsession with manufacturing is misplaced."

"This manufacturing subsidy war will be expensive and will support inefficient sectors, raising costs for households and firms. For example, most estimates of semiconductor chip fabrication in the US are that it costs up to 50 percent more than fabrication elsewhere. American taxpayers will eventually bear the cost of subsidizing this kind of relative inefficiency," it said.

Several experts told the Global Times that reviving the manufacturing industry requires good infrastructure, research and development investment, industrial support, a continuous supply of adaptable labor, as well as a global network supporting the supply chain and trade value chain.

Even the US, once known as the "world's factory," would find it difficult to fill the gap and revive its manufacturing sector, Zhang Yugui, dean of School of Economics and Finance in Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

"If the US tries to revitalize its manufacturing industry, it must abandon the zero-sum game mentality and instead form an effective division of labor and cooperation with major manufacturing powers such as China, Europe, Japan, and emerging economies. It should not continue to artificially build 'small yard and high fence'. However, even if some advanced manufacturing industries are lured back to the US, it would be a short-sighted strategy that is unlikely to succeed, Zhang noted.